Ken, most logging software does everything your Access database does plus much more. I'm old-fashioned, too, but I don't want to give up my N3FJP logging software--day-to-day or in contesting. I can simply type in a call and see if I have worked the station before, if I or he QSLed, if I need the country, his beam heading and distance from me, his country, continent, state, etc. and more. I can also see notes about any previous QSO.

For reporting, there are plenty of options available...granted not as many as you could likely create in Access if you know how...but with one click, I can see countries worked, countries needed, and much more. The software also makes it very simple to work with Logbook of the World.

Computer logging is a boon for contesting, serious or not. It shows dupes immediately, completes entries for you, and, of course, can be used for partial rig control on CW, so once you put in the call sign, the program does the rest of the transmitting of the exchange for you. When the contest is over, the system generates your log for submission and automatically does all the math for you. That makes complicated scoring like the WPX a non-issue. By the way, some systems show you a map of sections, states, or countries worked so far in the contest, a graph of run rates to show where you are most efficient, and much more.

It's a free or very inexpensive tool, Ken. I bet if you tried it, you would love it. And kiss that old paper log goodbye!

...10 and 20 have both been painfully quiet. Fingers crossed for later.

Just turned the radio back on after doing some chores, and worked two ZLs and 5W in the space of 5 minutes, on 10 meters. :-) Good example of why you shouldn't look at the solar flux numbers and decide there's no point in trying ten meters, it's always worth turning on the rig and *listening*. :-)

Just turned the radio on to take a picture of it for my sale ad, and hit Ganbria on 28.498 as the sun is setting here in Ohio on my first call to him

Why not simply download N1MM contest logging software for free and let it do everything ..

Ray, I wound up taking a look at N1MM's website, ... About the only feature it doesn't have that I'd like is running on both Windows and linux machines. Apart from that, it's definitely interesting. I may give it a try, just to see. Thanks for mentioning it! -ken

I ran N1MM in a virtual machine (Oracle VirtualBox) on a mac... worked fine. VirtualBox is free and can run on linux. You would need a copy of windows to install into the virtual machine.

10 meters was almost completely empty for me during the contest, but I may have missed a early morning opening. I did get some ATNOs for 40 meters around 0300 local, Australia and New Zealand into my low dipole. Go ahead and laugh but it was exciting for me.

10 meters wasn't doing well at my QTH, some action but not great. Had good runs to Europe on 20 and 15. That isn't bad for just a Gap Titan DX and a dipole at 20 feet. Only 100 watts, too. Yeilded 289K score and 382 contacts.

All in all not bad for just having fun. Only work about 32 of the allowed 36 hours.

Ken, most logging software does everything your Access database does plus much more. ... I can simply type in a call and see if I have worked the station before, if I or he QSLed, if I need the country,.. I can also see notes about any previous QSO. .... with one click, I can see countries worked, countries needed, and much more. The software also makes it very simple to work with Logbook of the World.

Don, I downloaded N1MM yesterday and loaded it; played just a bit. I admit it looks nice, but all of the stuff you've listed above I already do with my Access database, and I realized while I was looking at N1MM that "rolling my own" log program gives me a lot of flexibility. But I'll give N1MM a try in the next contest and see how it goes. See if there's anything I'm missing. Thanks!

N1MM logger worked great for me in the contest. Especially since this was my first attempt at SO2R style contesting. Nice to have the logger monitoring the frequency on both rigs full time in real-time. Just enter call and received serial number the rest is automatic.

Another note, contest was a chance to compare my two rigs: FT-950 versus FT-450D. Of course the FT-950 was better but the FT-450D wasn't bad, just wasn't as good when the QRM got up.

The other advantage to N1MM is that it knows what the rules are! In some contests, you can only work a station once and with others, you can work them on multiple bands. This is a huge time saver when determining if you should take the time to attempt to work a station again.

Another really great feature of N1MM is the ability to "spot" a station. Let's say you hear a station that you would like to work but just aren't having any luck getting through. Once you enter the other station's callsign, all you have to do is move off frequency and the callsign and frequency will automatically be "spotted". This will allow you to move on and make more contacts and if you want to try and work that missed station again, all you have to do is click on the "spot" and it will take you back to that frequency... assuming you have N1MM set up for rig control.

I had a lot of fun with this contest. I really enjoyed getting some new DX with my pretty modest setup.

The funniest thing that happened was at the very end of the contest. I had discovered that there was quite a bit of activity on 10 meters Sunday afternoon. I was getting a lot of QSOs with South America and the south Pacific like Australia and New Zealand. I was working one station in Brazil or Argentina I think. They were running and gave me their number. I'm pretty sure they said "3 90 99" as in "three ninety ninety-nine". I asked them to repeat it several times because Writelog didn't have room for 39,099 and I was pretty sure no one in the history of CQ WPX had ever gotten nearly 40,000 QSOs. The other operator finally got tired of me and quit talking to me. I waited to hear his next two QSOs to see what was wrong. When I heard him give out 4,000 I understood what had happened! He then dropped off the air so I guess he was done for the day. I felt bad that my brain had such trouble figuring out what he was trying to say. I am always grateful that contesters primarily use English and make things easy for me. For some reason I just couldn't hear 3999.

Been there, done that. When your tired your brain starts messing things up. Asking for the other guy to repeat several time but your just not getting it. I had a similar thing during last years ARRL 10 meter contest. There was this German station who was equally loud on short path as well as on long path. That caused such an echo effect that I simply could not copy his call. After a couple of tries propagation changed slightly so the echo effect subsided a bit. Finally I was able to copy his callsign correctly.

I started off Friday evening on 20m. Almost immediately,I ran into a station from Cuba (a T48 something or other)Not only was he overprocessed, he was screaming as loudas he could AND speaking fast, V E R Y fast, like a gatling gun or Thompson Machine gun with a 1,000,000round magazine. I couldn't understand crap.With the NOISE BLANKER OFFAttenuator ONI could hear his splatter +/- 10kc.

Went up band and found several more, same thing, all knobs to the right syndrome, screaming.

Went to 40m, found 2 US stations that sounded just fineand gave out some points. Continued up, and MORE idiotsand I gave up for the night.

Got on saturday, gave out a few points and called it quits.

I suppose I am getting grumpier & more miserablewith age, but I can no longer tolerate the multitudeof idiots with the AKttR syndrome.

Someone needs to EXPLAIN to these JERKS that LOUD &DISTORTED beyond intelligibility are two VERY different things.

Funny thing, the horrible sounding stations are NOT in the USor Canada. I could name a few countries that are the BIG violators,but that would be futile.

No one missed me, I am sure of that, but how manyothers are out there that feel the way I do, and are skipping the festivities because of a few idiots.

No one missed me, I am sure of that, but how manyothers are out there that feel the way I do, and are skipping the festivities because of a few idiots.

I feel the same way you do, that contests seemto bring out a lot of "All Knobs To The Right" guys.But I don't let it ruin my fun, just shake my head andspin the VFO.

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he was screaming as loud as he could AND speaking fast, V E R Y fast, like a gatling gun or Thompson Machine gun with a 1,000,000 round magazine. I couldn't understand crap.

Yeah, this is a pain. We shouldn't have to dial a stationin and then spend 3-4 minutes just trying to make outthe call....ALL because the guy is speaking too fast, with an accent,and/or using non standard phonetics. Maybe an email tothe OP or club stating this is in order. Same as the AKTTRsituation....

OTOH I did have fun overall with this contest. More than I expected. My main rig is tits up and sois my amplifier. So I was running barefoot in a contest,when I am normally QRO (AL-80A). But I was still pleasantly surprised at how many stations I could work and who,with 100 watts into a roof mounted HF6V. Even got a new one for 40m, D4C. Yeah, I knowit's a monster contest station, but still I was stoked!.I couldn't get them on the higher bands though....but I already have that prefix on the higher bands,but was new on 40m. Ya just never know until ya call! 73, Ken AD6KA

Hey Bill, I missed you. I can always use the points plus it's nice to work someone you're familiar with. I always have fun in any contest even though SSB contest aren't my favorite. Only operated about 15 hours but still had a blast.

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